New England Patriots’ defense goes on the take

Wednesday

Oct 10, 2012 at 6:00 AM

The objective of every defense on every series in every game is obviously to get off the field with a clean sheet. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting the ball back any way, whether it be a punt or a turnover,” linebacker Jerod Mayo said after the Patriots’ 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday that raised their record to 3-2.

By Rich Garven TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The objective of every defense on every series in every game is obviously to get off the field with a clean sheet.

“At the end of the day, it’s about getting the ball back any way, whether it be a punt or a turnover,” linebacker Jerod Mayo said after the Patriots’ 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday that raised their record to 3-2.

After five games, the Patriots are subpar when it comes to forcing punts. They rank 25th in the league in third-down defense, having allowed the opposition to convert 43.8 percent of its opportunities.

But the young defense has compensated for that by collecting 14 turnovers. That’s tied with the undefeated Atlanta Falcons for second in the league, three behind the once-beaten Chicago Bears.

“That’s what we try to do; we pride ourselves on that,” Mayo said.

The impact turnovers can have on the outcome of a game was on full display against the Broncos, who fumbled three times and lost them all. In each instance, they either likely left points on the field or directly contributed to the Patriots padding their lead.

On the game’s opening drive, cornerback Sterling Moore jarred the ball loose from receiver Demaryius Thomas following a 43-yard reception to the New England 17. At the very least, it looked as though the Broncos would have the chance to kick a makable field goal.

In the third quarter, defensive end Rob Ninkovich recorded a strip sack of quarterback Peyton Manning. Vince Wilfork recovered at the Denver 14, and three plays later, the Patriots scored a touchdown to push their lead to 31-7.

With just under four minutes left in what suddenly had become a competitive game, Ninkovich forced a second fumble. Jermaine Cunningham recovered at the New England 14, preserving a 10-point advantage.

You can’t count on coming up with turnovers every game, but you generally can count on getting the chance to do so.

“I’d say there are a number of opportunities in most games for the defense to at least get the ball out,” coach Bill Belichick said yesterday during his weekly conference call from Gillette Stadium. “Whether you recover it or not, that’s another part of the play, but at least get the ball out or put pressure on it.

“That includes tipped passes and coverage and stripping the ball from the runner or quarterback and all that. It’s an awareness of those opportunities and then taking advantage of them when they occur, which isn’t on every play, but they do happen.

“But then there are some turnovers that are just unforced, and those are just sloppiness by the offensive team, whoever it is just losing the ball. The defense doesn’t cause a turnover; it’s just bad offensive execution.”

Thus far, the Patriots have fallen into the former category. They overwhelmingly have created their good fortune rather than being the recipient of largess.

The Patriots will meet the 3-2 Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday. As always, past performance doesn’t guarantee future results.

“It’s Seattle; it’s what happens this week,” Belichick said. “Hopefully, we can be on the plus side of the turnovers against Seattle, but that’s hard to do because they do an excellent job of taking it away, and they do a great job of protecting it.”

For the record, the Seahawks are tied for 17th in the league with a minus-1 turnover differential. (The Patriots are tied for first at plus-10). Their eight turnovers are tied for 12th most.

Strangely enough, the Patriots are only 3-2 despite having won the turnover battle in every game this season. To put that in perspective, they were 93-4 (.959) from 2001-11 when that occurred.

Sophomore running back Stevan Ridley ranks third in the league with 490 rushing yards. He also has fumbled once in each of the past two games, losing one.

Ball security is a priority for the Patriots, but it sounds as though Ridley’s job is secure for now.

“I think you look at it overall, and I think he’s done a nice job of carrying the ball quite a few times this season,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “He’s done a good job of that, and then there are a couple of instances where the ball got loose a little bit.

“But you continue to work with every player on those fundamentals and the technical part of their game, which includes ball security and catching, blocking, running good routes and all the rest of those things that can contribute to protecting the football. So it will be a point of emphasis for us going forward. It always is, and it always has been, and it will continue to be.”

Safety Tavon Wilson made his first NFL start against the Broncos and didn’t look lost out there while recording 10 tackles. Fellow rookie Alfonzo Dennard played about half the game at cornerback and also acquitted himself well, recording a key pass defensed.

How all that plays out as far as playing time, well, the Patriots aren’t saying.

“I think everyone on the team just tries to go out and do their job to the best of their ability,” defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said. “Certainly everyone that played had some good plays, and certainly everyone that played had some plays they can improve on, so we’re just going to look at that every week and try to always put the best guys we can out there.”

Ken LaChapelle of Northbridge has been honored as the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week.

LaChapelle is one of three coaches in state history to win 300 games and the first to do so at one school. The tally stands at 301 — and counting.

Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, the Patriots’ executive director of community affairs, met with LaChapelle and Northbridge captains Dan Clasby, Ben O’Donnell, Matt Phelan and Jake Ryan at the school yesterday to make a $1,000 donation in LaChapelle’s name to the football program.

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